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Morse homers as Mariners fall short vs. White Sox

Carraway surrenders five runs in first inning of initial spring start

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Network talks with Michael Morse 4:23

MLB Network's Hot Stove talks with Michael Morse about returning to Seattle and helping a young team compete

By Greg Johns
/
MLB.com |

PEORIA, Ariz. -- Designated hitter Stefan Gartrell ripped a three-run home run in the first inning Sunday and Gordon Beckham and Brent Morel added solo shots in the sixth as the White Sox topped the Mariners, 11-7, in Cactus League play at Peoria Stadium.

The White Sox jumped on Seattle right-hander Andrew Carraway for five runs on six hits in the first inning as he made his Cactus League debut.

Gartrell, a 29-year-old outfielder signed to a Minor League deal this offseason, finished 1-for-4 with three RBIs.

Left fielder Dayan Viciedo, one of the only White Sox regulars in the split-squad lineup, went 3-for-3 with a double and an RBI as he improved his spring average to .360.

Carraway, 26, split last season between Double-A Jackson and Triple-A Tacoma and is in his first Major League camp for Seattle. The former 12th-round Draft pick zipped through a clean second inning, but by that time the damage was done in a 42-pitch outing.

Michael Morse, playing first base for the first time this spring, got Seattle on the board with a solo home run to the opposite field leading off the second against White Sox right-hander Dylan Axelrod.

The Mariners have now hit 31 home runs in their first 16 games, leading all Major League teams this spring.

Morse's drive was the lone hit in three innings against Axelrod, who improved to 2-0 this spring with a 1.13 ERA. Axelrod, 27, started seven games last year for the White Sox and has now allowed just one run and three hits over eight innings this spring in four outings.

Jason Bay just missed his third home run of Cactus League play with a deep drive off the top of the 410-foot center-field wall, settling instead for a fourth-inning triple as he continue his strong spring for the Mariners. He finished 1-for-3 and is batting .389 in 18 at-bats.

Carlos Peguero tripled to right-center in the same inning off White Sox left-hander Scott Snodgress in a 2-for-4 day. Mike Jacobs' two-run single highlighted Seattle's four-run surge in the eighth.

Taijuan Walker, the Mariners' top prospect as ranked by MLB.com, allowed two hits and a run while tossing the third and fourth innings.

Beckham and Morel went back-to-back with home runs off Mariners lefty Charlie Furbush in the sixth. It was the first long ball of the spring for Beckham and the second for Morel, who went 2-for-4 with two runs.

Up next: The Mariners have Monday off, though right-handers Blake Beavan and Erasmo Ramirez will each throw four innings in a Minor League intrasquad game at the Peoria Sports Complex. The rest of the team will return to action Tuesday, with Felix Hernandez making his second Cactus League start in a 1:05 p.m. PT game against the D-backs at Peoria Stadium. Hernandez is expected to throw three innings, with Hector Noesi and Lucas Luetge among the relievers to follow.